Highland Faith

A Highland regiment, during the wars with Tippoo Saib, engaged in an unfortunate action, where above two
hundred of them fell into the hands of that remorseless tyrant. They were treated with the most cruel indignity,
and fed upon a very sparing portion of unwholesome rice, which operated as a slow poison, assisted by the burning
heat of the sun by day, and the unwholesome dews of night, to which they were purposely exposed to shake their constancy.

Daily some of their companions dropped before their eyes, and daily they were offered liberty and plenty in
exchange fur this lingering torture, on condition of relinquishing their religion and taking the turban ; yet no one could be prevailed upon to purchase life on these terms.

These Highlanders were from the isles, and entirely illiterate; scarce one of them could have told the name of
any particular sect of Christians, and all the idea they had of the Mahumetan religion was, that it was averse to
their own; and that, adopting it, they should renounce Him who had died that they might live, and who loved them, and could support them under all sufferings.

The great outlines of their religion, the particular tenets which distinguish it from every other, were early and deeply impressed on their minds, and proved sufficient in their hour of trial.

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